Segmented fiber apparatus



Aug. 19, 1969 P. o. EMERSON ETAL 33 L SEGMENTED FIBER APPARATUS Filed March 5. 1967 I NVENTORS PAUL D. EMERSON ERNEST .C RTQ Q ATTORNE United States Patent U.S. Cl. 18-8 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A segmented fiber spinning apparatus characterized by a multi-geared meter pump which functions to receive two disparate spinnable mediums which are issued as at least two streams composed of alternate segments of such spinnable mediums, which streams are passed through a tapered conduit to thereby attenuate such segments to form transversely extending laminations of the desired thickness. The stream, as thus modified, is then passed through a conventional spinneret assembly, resulting in the extrusion of segmented filamentary articles which exhibit sharp lines of demarcation between adjacent segments. Segment length is readily controlled by variations in one or both gear tooth configuration and/ or taper of the attenuating conduit.

The present invention relates generally to filament extrusion apparatus and, more particularly, to an apparatus productive of shaped articles of segmented construction.

It is known that certain natural fibers exhibit a segmented appearance when viewed microscopically. Wool fibers in particular exhibit a segmented appearance wherein the segments are seen to terminate as a rough edge or barb. In order to provide synthetic filaments and fibers which simulate these naturally occurring fibers, it has been found desirable to substantially duplicate this segmented appearance, as by modifying the cross-sectional area of such synthetic filaments and fibers in alternating fashion along their longitudinal axes.

Various methods and apparatus have been proposed for accommodating the production of synthetic segmented filaments characterized by the supplying of at least two streams of spinnable mediums in an alternating sequence to a filament extrusion device. The methods and apparatus of the prior art have met with varying degrees of success. The major shortcomings of such past efforts may be attributed in most instances to the relatively intricate arrangements employed and their inability to generate a sharp line of demarcation between successive segments. In many applications, it is desired to have the line of demarcation between adjacent segments extend, as near as possible, transversely of the filament axis.

The present invention was evolved to enable the production of synthetic filaments and fibers having discrete alternating polymer segments along the axis thereof, which filaments and fibers are endowed, by virtue of their segmented character, with novel aesthetic physical properties, particularly as regards color, luster, texture, hand, denier, shrinkage and/or elasticity. In light of the foregoing considerations, it therefore becomes an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus pro ductive of synthetic filaments and fibers which exhibit a physical appearance simulating that of many of the naturally occurring fibers. A further object is the provision of an apparatus productive of synthetic filaments and fibers having discrete alternating segments composed of disparate spinnable mediums, which segments are characterized by an abrupt plane of demarcation between adjacent segments. A still further object is the provision of an apparatus productive of synthetic filaments and fibers having discrete alternating segments along the longitudinal axis thereof which dilfer as to color, luster, texture, hand, denier, shrinkage and/or elasticity.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in light of the following description and drawings in which like numerals designate similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fully assembled spinning apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the meter pump assembly taken along line 22 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 is likewise a partially sectionalized view of the meter pump assembly taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 1.

Turning now to a more detailed description of our invention, reference is had to FIG. 1 as being illustrative of the general arrangement in depicting a three-gear meter pump assembly, generally indicated by arrowed nuuneral 10. Pump assembly 10 is of laminated construction composed of a central spacer plate 2 enclosed by face plates 1 and 3, the mating plane surfaces of these plates preferably having a lapped finish to insure against inter-plate leakage. Stud bolts 5 and 6 serve to clamp the several plates in their proper alignment. Within spacer plate 2 there are provided machined cavities 7 shaped to receive in close-fitting relationship pumping gears 8, 9 and 9'. Gears 9 and 9 are mounted upon stub shaft extensions 11 which project into facing plates 1 and 3, gear 8 being provided with stub shaft 12 which extends into facing plate 3 and a protruding stub shaft 13 sized to extend through facing plate 1 to receive power gear 14, which latter may, in turn, be driven by a variable speed power source, not shown.

As best seen in FIG. 2, cavities 7 are shaped to define, in association with gears 8, 9 and 9', a pair of inlet chambers 17' and 18' and a pair of outlet chambers 19' and 20. As viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4, inlet conduits 15 and 16 communicate with the inlet chambers 17' and 18'; similarly, stream pattern attenuation tubes 24 and 24' communicate with the outlet chambers 19' and 20'.

In the utilization of this apparatus, two dissimilar polymers A and B are fed to pump assembly 10 through conduits 15 and 16, respectively. Polymer A enters the inlet space or chamber 17' between the teeth of gears 8 and 9 through port 17 which, as viewed in FIG. 4, is seen to extend transversely of face plate 3. Polymer A is then transported as segregated plugs within the teeth openings of gears 8 and 9 to be sequentially deposited at outlet chambers 19' and 20'.

Similarly, polymer B is introduced through port 18 and inlet chamber 18 to be transported as segregated plugs by gears 9 and 9' and deposited, in alternation with polymer A, in outlet chambers 19' and 20'. It will therefore appear that, issuing from each of the output chambers 19' and 20' are segmented polymer streams exhibiting an alternating sequence of A and B segments. The thusly generated segmented streams are passed through outlet ports 19 and 20 to enter stream pattern attenuating conduits 24 and 24, respectively.

As depicted in FIG. 1, the attenuator conduits 24 and 24 are preferably tapered exponentially wherein each of the alternating polymer segments is radially attenuated to accommodate the increasing cross-sectional area of the flow passage. As the segments are caused to enlarge radially, they are simultaneously reduced in the streamwise dimension to thereby define a sharp line of demarcation at the interface between two adjacent, now relatively thin transversely extending laminations. The thus- J 1y attenuated pattern is then passed through a conventional spinnerette assembly 23, comprising a multi-orificed spinneret 25, to result in the extrusion of a plural ity of segmented filaments 26.

As previously indicated, the final segment length achieved in the filaments is a function of both gear tooth spacing and the degree of radial attenuation imparted by the expanding attenuator tubes 24, 24. Thus, it becomes obvious to vary gear tooth size and/ or the progression of taper of tubes 24, 24 to generate a transversely extending laminar pattern exhibiting laminations of the desired thickness, as measured in the direction of flow.

From the foregoing it may now be appreciated that there has been herewith disclosed a novel apparatus facilitating the production of segmented filamentary shapes with a high order of precision and flexibility of control over segment lengths, as well as providing an abrupt demarcation between adjacent segments. By virtue of this arrangement, as essentially characterized by the combina tion of a gear pump segmented stream generator in combination with a tapered stream segment attenuator tube operative to generate a stream distinguished by a plurality of relatively thin transversely extending laminations of alternate origin, which stream may be then passed through a multi-orificed spinnerette to obtain a filamentary bundle the individual filaments of which exhibit an abrupt segmentation between adjacent components of the desired longitudinal extent and sequence of alternation. In light of such instruction, many obvious variations, modifications and substitutions will readily occur to those skilled in the spinning art. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention herein set forth is limited only by a proper construction of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A segmented fiber-forming apparatus comprising, in combination, a segmented stream generator and a stream segment attenuating means arranged to receive the stream issued from said generator, said stream generator comprising at least three enclosed, sequentially meshed gears to thereby define at least two gear pairs, an inlet port communicating with each of said gear pairs in the region of gear tooth disengagement, an outlet port communicating with each of said gear pairs in the region of gear tooth engagement, whereby, upon supplying each of said inlet ports with a discrete spinnable medium, there is caused to issue from each of said outlet ports a segmented stream composed of alternating segments of each spinnable medium.

2. A segmented fiber-forming apparatus comprising, in combination, a segmented stream generator and a stream segment attenuating means arranged to receive the streams issued from said generator, said stream segment attenuating means comprising at least two tapered conduits, the smaller end of each conduit communicating with a stream issued from said segmented stream generator, whereby each segment is progressively attenuated to thereby define a stream characterized by thin laminations extending transversely of the direction of flow of said stream.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said stream segment attenuating means comprises at least two tapered conduits, the smaller end of each conduit communicating with one of said outlet ports, whereby each segment is progressively attenuated to thereby define a stream characterized by thin laminations extending transversely of the direction of flow of said stream.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said conduits are tapered exponentially.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,214,300 1/1917 Grouvelle et a1. 2,278,875 4/1942 Graves 18-8 XR 2,692,405 10/ 1954 Gayler 18-8 2,815,033 12/1957 Braunlich 1813 XR 3,180,912 4/1965 Rowe 1885 XR 3,280,886 10/1966 Marshall et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 294,477 4/ 1965 Holland.

WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 18-12 

